Overview & Reviews

Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which goes a long way toward justifying their typically high purchase prices. For buyers who plan on owning their new vehicles for a long time, the Toyota marque is a very compelling choice.

The automaker's name is a variation of the surname of its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. After years of research, Toyoda unveiled his first prototype, the A1, in 1935, marking the birth of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The '40s witnessed the launch of additional passenger cars and even a pickup. By the end of the decade, the automaker had produced more than 100,000 vehicles.

Toyota grew bigger in the '50s and expanded its roster with a slew of new small cars. The company also unveiled the utilitarian BJ truck; this vehicle was the precursor to the Land Cruiser. By the end of the decade, Toyota had commenced exports to the U.S. with the establishment of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. The first Toyota to be sold on American shores was the Crown; it held the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold Stateside.

The '60s witnessed even more growth for the emerging juggernaut. Toyota introduced the Corolla, an immensely popular model that is still in production today. Vehicles like the home-market Publica, the 2000GT, Hiace and Miniace were also launched. The decade closed with Toyota reporting annual domestic sales of 1 million units; cumulative exports also reached 1 million.

Japanese-market cars like the Carina, Light Ace and Publica Starlet were launched during the 1970s. In the States, the Corolla grew in popularity and the Corona and Mk II models debuted as well. The successful Celica sports coupe was also rolled out and would remain in production for more than 30 years. Toyota's shadow had spread far beyond Japan by this point. The decade's oil crisis had made the manufacturer's compact, fuel-efficient models more popular than ever in the United States. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker had exported more than 10 million vehicles.

Toyota expanded its presence in the U.S. market during the '80s, with the introduction of popular models like the 4Runner SUV and the MR2 sports car. The true high point of these years, though, was the birth of the Toyota Camry sedan. Originally known as the Celica Camry in Japan, the car went on to be a hit of phenomenal proportions, earning kudos as America's best-selling car of the year time and time again.

During the '90s, Toyota rolled out the Avalon full-size sedan and expanded its selection of SUVs with the compact RAV4. By the end of the decade, more than 100 million Toyota vehicles had been produced in Japan. The company also proved itself on the cutting edge of new technology with the rollout of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid. The car debuted in Japan in 1997; by 2001, the fuel-sipping sedan had made its way to American highways. Despite the presence of a growing number of competitors in its segment, the Prius continues to boast class-leading sales.

Toyota's current lineup is relatively extensive, including minivans, cars, trucks and SUVs. The brand remains extremely popular among savvy consumers who place a high value on quality and dependability.

User Reviews:

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  4 Years and 125000 Klms - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By skipper22 - August 24 - 6:14 am

  Ive had my Yaris for nearly 4 years now and sadly I just sold it as I didnt need it any longer. But I can attest to great fuel economy, fantastic quality, and a terrific resale. I have 125000 klms on this baby and never once in the dealer for ANY problems whatsoever. Regular oil changes 8-10000 ks etc., and never a moments problem. So much so, I now have a 2011 Corolla.

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  Toyota Sienna - 2010 Toyota Sienna
  By toyotasienna - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Bought Certified used. Good car. Comfortable ride. Like flexible seating positions in 8 pass.

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  Child of 83 Landcruiser and 05 ScionTC - 2010 Toyota 4Runner
  By surfsnow - August 23 - 10:00 am

  I have driven my 2010 4Runner 1100 miles and I am very happy. I have finally given up driving my 83 Landcruiser and this is the perfect replacement. It is almost identical to the 83 FJ60 in interior room and design. I feel like Toyota has reached back in time and found the perfect replacement for the old Landcruiser. The previous 4Runner appeared too wimpy (styling) and the FJ did not offer the visibility associated with the original Landcruisers. Im happy the truck does not have mud collectors (running boards). I am also retiring my Scion TC and I have become a one car household. The 4Runner is a pig compared to the scion but, that is to be expected. Overall, very happy.

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  My 2nd Toyota - 2009 Toyota Venza
  By OwnTwoToyotas - August 23 - 10:00 am

  The Venza caught my eye at an airshow and I had to have it. I decided on the 4 cyl model due to cost and economy. Im not impressed with only 21 mpg and it gets worse when I drive a little harder. I dont like when the trans disengages during engine idle. Quick starts, but the engine needs a moment to wind up when accelerating or passing. The steering is very responsive, but seems to float a little when driving a straight path. The suspension is firm; I can feel the bumps and waves in the road. I did discover small circular scratch marks on the roof shortly after leaving the dealership; it has not been properly fixed.

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  Not Sure Yet. - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By corollamon - August 22 - 9:10 pm

  I previously owned a 2004 corolla and was excited to purchase the 2010. The interior is much nicer and feels bigger than the 04. Didnt consider other brands due to the success Ive had with Toyotas reliability, resale value, and quality. The 2010 model has had recalls but the items I have noticed have not yet been recalled. (See Cons). Gas mileage is great and 7000 miles have gone by without an issue mechanically.

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  Great all-round SUV - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Romo - August 22 - 6:24 am

  We shop only for Honda. But they didnt have a car that fit our current needs...awd, space for 7, etc...so we needed to move to an suv and finally looked at Toyota. The size, space, awd fit the bill for us. We looked for the 2016, but compelled to get the 2017 given the added features this year LDA, BSM, POC, and cruise with speed monitoring. We are glad we bought the 2017. My only complaints - the USB ports are not very accessible to plug in the chargers. The Navi also was off on some direction / final destination (I had Google maps on to double check.), the acceleration is not as quick from a stop position. Handling is fine, and very comfortable and enjoyable interior for all passengers as we took on a 6 passenger road trip with luggage. Overall, we are very happy with the 2017.

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  What happened to Toyota? - 2005 Toyota Matrix
  By Jeri F. - August 21 - 6:43 pm

  I ordered my Toyota Matrix with a 5speed manual trans. I have always driven manual and wanted to continue. My car is 4 years old and Im installing a new clutch! My last Toyota Corolla was 15 years old and no clutch. I also had to replace the tires at about 15K miles. I had a little Chevy S10 p/u with manual trans and it was great except I wanted more interior. It was 5 years and I didnt have to replace anything. What has happened to Toyotas? Im so disappointed.

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  I wanted this to be my first 300,000 car... - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By ciscokasha - August 20 - 12:18 pm

  I drive for a living. I wanted this camry to be my first car to go to 300,000, and from everything I read, it was supposed to. But Im having to trade it in at 108,000, because it has become a money pit. First, the wheel bearings in the front went, over $1000 to fix. That was last month. Now, a back wheel bearing transmission problems that are going to be over $2100 to fix. This is ridiculous, for a car that has been meticulously cared for. I drive primarily highway miles, and am very careful with my cars.

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  4500 mile, 6 month review - 2011 Toyota RAV4
  By sm1791 - August 20 - 4:34 am

  I bought this RAV4 for Toyota quality. I wanted a quality, V6 , 4x4 small SUV. Overall, I am satisfied so far. (I just got the base model-keep in mind). Acceleration and power is great. Ride could be better, but not bad. Terrible air vibrations when driving with rear windows down (my Liberty did same thing?) Overall interior and exterior functionality is really good. Except...Toyota, this SUV needs a flip-up rear hatch! V6 engine is a little loud for a new Toyota...could be the upgraded alternator. Gas mileage is good...24.2 mpg average...about 28 hwy driving conservatively. Hopefully will increase with synth. oil next month. Overall...7 out of 10 stars so far.

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  great daily driver - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By toyotamanno1 - August 19 - 2:02 pm

  This is a car that is great from getting from point A to point B, without flashiness. It works great for quick trips and longer drives. The cvt transmission takes a bit to get used to, but works fine and pulls the car up hills better than a regular automatic transmission. I have 5800 miles on the car, it has been a great car. At 5,000 miles it was .25 qt low on oil. That is within my acceptable range (80% full). I also changed the oil at the initial 5000 mile mark. The engine was broken in and i changed it with royal purple full synthetic. The broken in motor had dirtied the oil quiye a lot. At the 5,000 mile mark, it was light to medium in darkness, but drained oil was very dark.